1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to electrical connectors having an interchangeable ferrule at the exit end of the connector housing to accommodate various exit cable configurations.
2. Brief Description of Earlier Developments
In the conventional art, electrical cable connectors used for connectorized cable connections have a generally customized configuration, especially at the interface between the connectors and cables terminating within the connectors (i.e. cable exit). U.S. Pat. No. 5,199,903 discloses one example of a conventional connector wherein a back shell assembly with two back shell members latched together about a connector. Each back shell member has a strain relief member crimped onto a cable terminating in the connector. Another example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,244,415 wherein a shielded electrical computer cable connector has a shield base and a shield cover forming a shielded chamber, with a cable received at one end of the shielded chamber. As evident by the above examples, in the conventional connectors, the contact (e.g. pins or receptacles) patterns at the front end of electric cable connectors are generally standardized. However, the configuration of the rest of the connector, especially at the cable exit, varies greatly depending on factors such as the number of cables terminating in the connector, whether the connector is shielded or unshielded, or whether the connector incorporates some means of cable strain relief.
Accordingly, the back shells and other components of conventional electrical cable connectors are customized to accommodate the different cable exit configuration. Hence, a family of conventional cable connectors having substantially the same contact interface pattern, nevertheless are provided with different back shells and/or cable exit components. The lack of commonality between electrical cable connectors, even within the same family of connectors, results in different connector parts (e.g. connector back shells) being produced for performing substantially the same function. This in turn drives up the cost of the conventional connectors by limiting the cost reduction benefits from economies of scale. Furthermore, the limited use for each different part, only for connectors having a characteristic compatible with that type of part, complicates manufacture of the cable connectors, increases the time in which the connector is fabricated and raises inventory costs. The present invention overcomes the problems of these connectors as will be further described below.
In accordance with a first method of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an electrical connector is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing an electrical connector shell, and selecting a ferrule to be placed in the shell. The electrical connector shell has a chamber for holding an electrical contact housing therein. The shell has a cable exit section allowing an electrical cable terminating in the electrical contact housing to exit the shell through the cable exit section of the shell. The selected ferrule is placed in the cable exit section of the shell. The selected ferrule is selected from different ferrules in accordance with a predetermined characteristic of the electrical connector.
In accordance with a second method of the present invention, a method for fabricating an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector has a shell holding therein an electrical contact housing for terminating an electrical cable. The method comprises the steps of providing the shell with a cable exit section, selecting a ferrule, and installing the selected ferrule in the cable exit section of the shell. The electrical cable terminating in the electrical contact housing exits the shell through the cable exit section. The ferrule is selected in accordance with a predetermined characteristic of the electrical connector from at least one of a strain relief ferrule, a single cable exit ferrule, a multiple cable exit ferrule, a shielding ferrule, or a non-conductive ferrule.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises a shell having a chamber with a contact housing disposed therein. The contact housing is adapted for terminating a conductor of a cable connected to the shell. The shell has a cable exit section through which the cable exits the shell. The electrical connector has an interchangeable ferrule part held in the cable exit section of the shell. Different interchangeable ferrule parts are used for different cable exit configuration of the connector.
In accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, an electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises an outer shell, an electrical contact housing, and a ferrule part. The electrical contact housing is located in the outer shell at a connecting end of the outer shell. The shell has a cable exit section at a back end of the shell wherein an electrical cable terminating in the electrical contact housing exits the shell through the cable exit section. The ferrule part is held in the cable exit section of the shell. The ferrule part held in the cable exit section is selected from different ferrule parts in accordance with a predetermined characteristic of the electrical connector.